Festival Fright Nights at Winchester Mystery House
Four immersive zones featuring 13 attractions across the historic estate
12 haunted experiences near Morgan Hill.
Haunted happenings are spread across the region, with major attractions in Newark and San Jose, plus other scares in Hollister and Santa Cruz.
If you seek an expansive scream park or prefer a free, family-friendly museum event, these local frights offer distinct experiences.
Features pumpkin blasters, train rides, a corn maze, and dinosaur attractions.
A vintage cable car trolley tour visiting three local wineries.
Scary movie screenings with cocktails in the historic Grove Ballroom.
Community Halloween home decorating contest and self-guided driving tour
See all haunted houses, trails, and scare attractions in your area.
Many haunts admit teens 13-17 without an adult but require a parent-signed waiver, sometimes completed online beforehand; extreme attractions stay 18+ regardless. Confirm the waiver process, closing time, and pickup point before dropping teens off, and set a phone check-in for when they exit each attraction. Weeknights are a calmer first solo trip than a packed late-October Saturday.
After any October rain, genuinely muddy: ruts, slick boards, and standing water in low spots, all navigated by moonlight and minimal path lighting since darkness is the product. Wear boots or shoes you can hose off, keep both hands free, and step where the person ahead stepped. Phones stay pocketed, so let your eyes adjust for ten minutes instead of flashing a screen.
The first two weekends of October have the shortest lines and full casts; the two weekends before Halloween are the longest waits of the year. If Halloween lands midweek, the Saturday before is peak everything. Late September soft-opening nights are the sleeper pick: small crowds, discounted tickets, and actors at full energy. Book the calm weekend and save the hype weekend for parties.